An afternoon at the Little Yeoman Brewery

Beth and I spent the afternoon today visiting the micro micro brewery, Little Yeoman, in Cabool, Mo. I used to buy a six-pack now and again from this brewery back in college, but hadn't seen it on shelves for a few years now, assuming it was defunct. Apparently the brewery was sold from the original owner in Mountain Grove, Mo., to a family friend in Cabool. The new owner no longer distributes the beer (because apparently the distributor makes more money on the beer than he does), so you can only get it by visiting the small brewery located on his family farm.

Chad, the owner, was extremely friendly and immediately sat down with us to chat and enjoy one of his beers (a dry-hopped American pale ale...very good!). After chatting for a while outside under a tent, Beth and I brought our chairs inside the small building housing the brewing equipment to watch him and his two assistants transfer a cream ale from the fermenter into bottles. Afterwards, we bought a few of his bottled beers to enjoy. His prices were extremely reasonable and definitley worth the money.




It was a fun outing, and we'd love to go back with anyone interested.

Spoiled

Now that James and I are officially living in the U.S. again (though we have no official living residence), we are feeling pretty spoiled by the normalities and banalities of life. I feel a bit like Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when she sings her song "I Want it Now" because it all seems so--possible! You can ask for--and find--just about anything you want in America. The availability of choices is staggering.

There are luxuries that we never really appreciated until having lived a developing country, and we both still have the feeling that everything is so temporary, like it has been over the last two short Christmas breaks. We are trying to break ourselves of the mentality that we have to "stock up" on things, or that "this is the last time" we eat certain foods, etc.

Happy to be Home!

Some of the small stuff we've been loving:

• Air Conditioning
  
• Healthy food options at the supermarket
• Using a dishwasher (this one is short-lived. We won't have one in Lawrence come August...)
• Watching English-only TV with muchos channels
• Walking around outdoors and feeling 100% safe (and hot -- it's humid in Missouri!)
• Quickly filling up the coffee pot from the sink
• Going to a gym where people are polite and clean, with cold water from the water fountains
• Driving on wide roads with other rule-abiding citizens. No window-tint needed! No locked doors!
• The long, sunny summer days. No sunset until after 8pm! (instead of 6 pm year-round in Guate)
• Wearing our wedding bands and my engagement ring. We've missed our nice jewelery that means so much to us.
• Understanding every interaction we partake in (in English) and understanding what others around us are saying, too!
• The predictability and orderliness of life in America. People stand in a line. They wait their turn. They drive in one lane. Imagine!
• Having the family cats to help us grieve giving away Rafa: Gabby, Dooley, and our cat, Mia
  
• Making phone calls to friends and family that are domestic (read: cheap) instead of international.
• Going shopping without wondering how much everything is going to weigh in a suitcase!!
  

For now, it still seems like this is "vacation" instead of just what life will be like from now on...Either way, we will take it!

If you are wondering, the blog will go on, but it will likely take the form of our friend Kim's LuceChatter, a blog more about daily life and State-side observations and MUCH less about Guatemala.

Congratulations to Scott and Emily Smith!
We attended their beautiful wedding the day we flew in.

In Love

10 More Days in Guat-ay

It's hard to believe it has already been two years, but we head back to live in the States in 10 days! So, in honor of the 10-day countdown, here are some Top 10 Lists for Guatemala. They are written with a sense of humor, and we have absolutely loved living here even despite some drawbacks.

Top 10 Questions We've Stopped Asking
because there are no good answers

10. Are there really 4 people on that motorcycle, including two children under the age of 5?!
9. Why don't slow drivers get in the far right lane?
8. Did you feel that? Was that an earthquake?
7. Can we flush the toilet paper here?
6. Which volcano is that anyway?
5. Is that guy telling us we CAN go through this intersection or is his weird hand signal telling us we can't?
4. Why aren't the roads paved to get to the two of the largest tourist attractions in the country (Pacaya, the Lake)?
3. Is it safe or not safe to [name any activity here]?
2. Will it rain today?
1. Why does no one in this country have change to break a Q100 bill?

Top 10 Favorite Foods We've Eaten in Guatemala

10. Crepes (Guatemalans seem to love them!)
9. Torta Chilena pie (layers of caramel and pie crust)
8. Coffee coffee coffee
7. Macademia nuts
6. Emna's Cilantro-Lentil Soup
5. Hacienda Real Refried Black Beans
4. Fresh corn tortillas
3. Pineapple
2. Mangos
1. Avocados

Top 10 Most Frustrating Parts of Living in Guatemala

10. The entire banking process and banker interactions
9. Ability to communicate and understand at times
8. Government and police corruption
7. The classist/racist system against Mayans and poor people, including the way rich people treat their maids and others in servant-like roles
6. Lack of U.S. products we love
5. Lack of safety
4. Lack of clean public bathrooms
3. Lack of safe drinking water
2. The large size of the impoverished population
1. The driving, road conditions, construction patterns, and city layout

Top 10 Activities in Guatemala

10. Enjoying tanning on the patio in the (almost always) year-round perfect weather
9. Going to the spa and getting massages
8. Going to the VIP movie theatre at Oakland Mall
7. The Santiago Kite Festival
6. Climbing Volcano Pacaya
5. Going to the beach
4. Enjoying the Semuc Champey pools
3. Going to Antigua
2. Being at Lake Atitlan (but not driving to or from it)
1. Tikal, the Mayan temple site in Northern Guatemala

Top 10 Accomplishments in Guatemala

10. Learning how to drive here -- being defensive and aggressive at all times
9. Knowing the earthquake drill inside and out
8. Helping local people out
7. Beth's accomplishments at CAG
6. Being some of the tallest people in the country
5. Convincing people to come visit us :)
4. Stayin' Alive
3. Learning how to cook Guatemalan food
2. Learning to bargain at the market
1. Learning to Speak and Understand Spanish! Yeah!!!!

We really have enjoyed our time here in Guatemala, and we are so happy that we have had so many wonderful adventures and made so many good friends. Go Guatemala!